Three architects have unveiled their proposed designs for Heathrow City, if the existing airport closes in favour of another location.
The Heathrow designs come just days after reports said costs for an estuary airport could far exceed estimates (which we thought was a given for infrastructure projects but what do we know?) and have been commissioned by Transport for London (TfL) at a cost of £90,000. The mayor said:
"The demand for new homes and jobs in the capital is such that we must be ready to start redeveloping Heathrow the moment it moves to its new site. And the sooner we start planning the better."
The three Heathrow proposals aim to provide much-needed homes and jobs for London. Hawkins\Brown envisages a giant factory where people can order homes to their own specifications while Rick Mather Architects and Maccreanor Lavington are centred around living cities.
The Airports Commission is set to make a decision in 2015 on whether to opt for a third runway at Heathrow or back London mayor Boris Johnson's plan for an estuary airport. The consultation is open until 8 August.